Page 13 of Return of the Alpha

“I haven’t,” Aprilsays.

“You really should,”the woman slurs. “It’s a fun car.”

I can’t help butsmile as the two women pile into the back seat while I hold thedoor open for them. April hops into the front seat before I caneven open her door.

“I don’t know how todrive,” she says to her friend.

“He can teach you,”the other dark-haired woman says, nodding in my direction.

“Yes!” the blondeexclaims clapping her hands. “You guys can use the Jeep.”

Neither of us say asingle word as I pull out of the parking lot and drive in thedirection of the pack compound. I want to promise to teach her,hell, I want to promise her the world. But I don’t because eventhough it goes against every fiber of my being, she needs to cometo me. It must be her choice.

We drive in silence,no sounds except the two women snoring softly in the back seat.Once we enter the compound she turns to me.

“We need to dropKeela and Sapphire at their houses. Turn left here.”

She patientlyexplains the way to the first one and then the other house. The menmeet us outside, both smiling as they lift their intoxicated matesout of the vehicle and take them inside. And then she directs me toher house.

It’s a smallbuilding on the far side of the compound with a little garden and abig-ass oak tree. She has a porch with a swing and some pottedplants, and I can’t help but wonder how often she sits out there.Will she let me join her?

“Thanks for theride,” she mumbles, getting out of the car.

I watch her walkdown the stone path until she reaches the steps leading up to herfront door. She looks over her shoulder and I swear she is about tosay something but then she is gone. Inside her house with the doorclosed and me sitting in a borrowed blue Jeep, wishing I was withher.

****

April

Sleep evaded me formost of the night even though I was relatively drunk and I took anice long bath. My thoughts are scattered, and my damn hormonesaren’t helping the situation at all.

How can it be that Icrave to be near a man whose name I don’t even know?

How can I long forthe touch of someone I hadn’t even met until last night?

He may have been inPeyton’s house at the same time I was, but my mind was more focusedon other things at that moment. I didn’t even spare him a glance.Now, I can’t seem to get the idea of him out of my head or forgetthe way his smell permeated the interior of the vehicle lastnight.

Freshly bakedbread—my favorite thing in the wholeworld—and the smell that clings tohim.

I sip at my thirdcup of coffee since I gave up on sleeping and finally made my waydownstairs. I’m sitting on the porch, watching the sun rise,changing the sky from a deep rich blue until it becomes a beautifullight azure without a cloud in sight.

“I know you’rethere,” I say, staring at the copse of trees across from my house.Eventually, they will be felled to make space for more houses asthe pack continues to expand.

I watch the man whohas consumed my every thought for the better part of twenty-fourhours as he crosses the road. He has trimmed his beard, and hislong hair is tied in a messy bun on top of his head. His longstrides eat at the space between us until he is on the porch, histall frame leaning against the rail.

We stare at oneanother, neither speaking as we both look our fill.

“What are you doinghere?” I ask, not to be rude, I’m just curious.

“I think we got offon the wrong foot.”

“That’s anunderstatement.”

He laughs, a full,gravelly sound that sends skitters of arousal coursing through mysystem. I wonder if I would have these feelings and thoughts if hewasn’t my fated mate? I doubt I’ll ever find out.

“I think we shouldstart over,” he says.

“Meaning?”

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